


Golem Doll

by Starla-Nell (Princess_Nell)



Series: The Bournshire Boys [18]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games)
Genre: Contraband, Friendship, Roommates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-14
Updated: 2020-06-14
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:46:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24726220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Princess_Nell/pseuds/Starla-Nell
Summary: Alistair didn't expect Cullen to react so badly to a toy. Good thing golem dolls are cute.
Relationships: Alistair & Cullen Rutherford
Series: The Bournshire Boys [18]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/472279
Kudos: 2





	Golem Doll

Alistair took a deep breath. Nope, enough homework for now. He spun in his chair to look at his roommate’s bent back. “Cullen, if I show you something, will you tell the Sisters about it?”

“Hmm?” Cullen gestured with his feather quill without looking up. “Depends what it is.”

“What?” Alistair sputtered. He could hardly believe reliable Cullen gave such a wishy-washy answer.

“Well,” Cullen elaborated, “if it’s dangerous, I would tell them.” He looked over his shoulder, setting his quill down. “Or if you want me to tell them.”

“Oh,” Alistair, “it’s not dangerous.”

“Well,” Cullen spun in his chair, throwing an arm over the back, “go on, then.”

“First, swear you won’t tell.”

Cullen covered his heart with one hand and raised the other. “I swear, on my honor, unless it’s dangerous, I won’t tell anybody about your secret cheese stash.”

“Hey! Actually – good idea. But that’s not it.”

“No, it’s not! It would stink!” Cullen grabbed the pillow off his cot and threw it at Alistair’s head. Alistair caught it but pretended to duck anyway. “It’s not cold enough for a secret cheese stash.”

“Especially dangerous cheese.”

“Dangerous cheese?” Cullen huffed. “Do you listen to yourself?”

“So, here it is.” Alistair brandished the small, decorative control rod.

“A stick?”

“Well, it’s a shiny stick. Walk over there.” Alistair used the stick to point to the space between their beds.

“Why would I – What the Void is that?” Cullen pulled his feet off the ground. A tiny stone person walked from under Alistair’s bed to the point he’d indicated.

“Ha! Do you like it?”

“It’s – it’s a –”

“It’s a golem.” Alistair announced, but quietly.

Cullen threw his feet on the ground, leaning forward. “Golems are huge!”

“Like you’ve seen a golem. It’s a golem doll, then.”

“Are you out of your mind?” Cullen looked up, way too wild-eyed. “You’re not supposed to keep anything of your own – nothing to separate you from anyone else. We don’t seek wealth or acknowledgement! And you’ve got a golem!”

“A golem doll!” Alistair reminded him.

“It’s yours, and it’s expensive, and it’s magic, and it’s dangerous,” Cullen declared, standing.

“Dangerous?” Alistair scoffed. “It’s not dangerous.”

“Yes it is! Not only does it flaunt your wealth”—

“Not my wealth! It was a gift!”

“A gift from whom?” Cullen arched an eyebrow.

Alistair felt like he’d just made a particularly foolish counter in chess. “From Eamon.”

“Oh, was that _Arl_ Eamon?” Cullen demanded. At Alistair’s reluctant nod, he continued, “Not only does if flaunt your _wealth_ and _privilege_ , but it’s magical!”

“It’s not magical. It’s dwarven,” Alistair said. “They don’t do magical.” No, Cullen was right, this was totally magical.

“That’s just as bad! Do you even understand how they make these things?”

“Well, enchanting, I suppose.”

Cullen scoffed, “Enchanting.”

“Well, do you?” Alistair asked, actually getting a little mad about this whole thing.

“No, and that’s the _point_. It could go berserk and kill us in the night.”

“What?! How?” Alistair demanded, “Throw our shoes at us?”

“I don’t know. With it’s …” Cullen gestured toward the doll.

The golem, as it sometimes did when it was left alone for a while, looked up and squeaked. Cullen stopped, mouth forming a small O. “How is it _cute_?”

“I know, right?” Alistair’s glee spilled out again and drowned his anger.

“It’s a little person-shaped rock.” Cullen’s brows knitted together, but his mouth made that O-shape again.

“Right?” Alistair stood, grinning, then perched on his bed.

“It just walks around, doing whatever you tell it.” Cullen gestured vaguely toward the doll. “How is it so … adorable?”

“I don’t know!” Alistair flopped onto his bed in mock exasperation.

“Fine, it’s probably not dangerous.” Cullen moved to his own bunk with more grace.

“Yes!” Alistair wouldn’t get ritually dismembered by the Sisters next Tuesday, that was a relief.

“But you need to get rid of it.”

“What?” Alistair sat up again. “How?”

“I dunno, how did you get it here?”

“Well, after the Arl gave it to me, I just … brought it home. In my socks.”

“Well, send it home or give it to the poor or something.”

No! It would be rude to send it back to the Arl. “Seriously? I had you pegged for law-abiding, but charity?”

“Hey, I don’t make the rules.”

No, but Cullen sure does seem to enjoy rules. Alistair held out the tiny rod. “If I give you a turn, will you give me some time?”

“That’s bribery, it is! Corruption of a templar!” Cullen was smiling as he said it, and he took the offered control rod. “But, since I was going to give you time anyway, and therefore it didn’t sway my decision, I accept your bribe.”

“Ha!” They spent that evening discussing Honnleath’s statue and taking turns controlling the doll. Then, Alistair stored it under his bed with all of the other junk and mostly forgot about it. Mostly. The few times he remembered, guilt twinged through him, and he tried to forget again.


End file.
